Straightforward Sweetness
by Hitokun
Summary: Reina suddenly has a craving for ice cream, but Kumiko is reluctant to go because she's noticed the changing feelings she has for her best friend. Regardless, Kumiko follows Reina and they end up sharing ice cream and few confessions. Kumiko x Reina


**A/N** : Hello, I am back with more Hibigay.

This is a one-shot that I thought of after seeing this random comic on facebook. I forget the source and context, but the idea stayed in my mind. Standard disclaimers apply.

Please enjoy and review if you like this strange writing binge of mine. (it's definitely a stress reliever) I get like this when exams draw near...

 _Current music_ : Hibike movie OST: ふたりきり

* * *

"I want to get ice cream today, Kumiko."

Kumiko blinked, taken aback by the statement. She had just come back from putting her euphonium away, only to be met with a straightforward question-no… a demand from the other girl.

It was a peculiar request from the usually no nonsense Kousaka Reina.

"Huh? Ice cream? You want to get ice cream in this weather?" Kumiko arched an eyebrow, watching as Reina packed away her trumpet.

"Mhm. We don't have school or practice tomorrow; so why don't we take our time on the way home?" Reina said off-handedly as she shut her case. She stood up slowly, flicking her hair back with a graceful toss of her head.

The euphonium player couldn't help but stare, wondering how the trumpeter could have made that gesture look so…

Kumiko gulped, feeling her cheeks grow warmer.

Reina blinked as she looked at Kumiko, expecting an answer. "Do you have somewhere to go? I can always go by myself if-"

"No!" Kumiko put her hands out in a stop motion, quickly retracting them as her embarrassment grew. Her reaction was way out of proportion and she didn't know why her feelings were such a mess today. Today was nothing special. It was as normal a day like any other, but today, Reina asked her to stay later so they could practice more.

"I'll go with you, Reina." Kumiko's voice was quiet, as if to compensate for her earlier loud outburst.

They had the school all to themselves. They had spent the last two hours sitting in a room alone.

Together. Just playing their instruments.

Kumiko was suddenly feeling self conscious, wondering if Reina wanted to spend more time with her or if the trumpeter was just really craving ice cream.

"Then let's get going? It is going to get dark soon and I think that store I like runs out of the more popular flavors later on in the day…" Reina seemed to be deep in contemplation as she said this, genuine worry in her voice.

"I highly doubt that ice cream is going to be that popular in this season, but yeah. Let's go. I'm all packed." Kumiko sighed as she shouldered her bag. She realized that her friend was serious about the ice cream. Banishing her wishful thinking, she smiled at how adorably innocent Reina could be sometimes. Honestly, ice cream? In the middle of fall? It was a bit childish, but endearing.

Kumiko jumped slightly as Reina closed the distance between them, the shorter girl suddenly right up against her. Reina's smile was genuine and awfully sweet, carried in her eyes as they sparkled a radiant royal purple. As if it were the most natural thing in the world, Reina reached for Kumiko's hand, lacing their fingers together.

"I can't wait, Kumiko."

It was a simple gesture, one that Kumiko was more than familiar with. Reina, despite her ice queen reputation, was surprisingly touchy. Of course, it was only with the euphonium player, but…

Kumiko paused in her train of thought.

It wasn't that she disliked it.

Squeezing Reina's hand, Kumiko took the lead, almost rushing out of the room as she pulled the girl along. She wanted to hide the blush on her cheeks, a strange sensation of guilt rippling through her.

Kumiko knew that she craved the physical contact. She found it unnerving how much she liked it.

* * *

The entire journey was quiet, filled with a comfortable sort of silence…for the most part. Reina had a smile plastered on her face the whole time, uncharacteristically cheery, whilst Kumiko was oddly quiet. The euphonium player was deep in contemplation, trying to focus on anything but the feeling of Reina's warmth against her, the feeling of Reina's petite hand gripped tightly in hers.

After the walk to the station and the short train ride, the two girls found their way to an ice cream shop just a block from the intersection where they usually parted ways.

Reina, without hesitation, got the seasonal special, a chestnut and pumpkin blend. The bright orange color was a perfect fit for the fall weather. It reminded Kumiko of the leaves that littered the ground on their way to school.

Kumiko, on the other hand, struggled with the vast amount of flavors. In the end, she chose something safe, one that she usually liked, strawberry cheesecake.

With their mission being a success, Reina suggested that they sit down at the park just across the street. Kumiko, just following along with Reina's whims today, obviously agreed. It was a perfect transition, an almost orchestrated series of events.

Half-skipping ahead, Reina held her ice cream cone in one hand and her trumpet in the other as she gestured towards a bench away from the main road. "Let's have a seat on this one!"

Kumiko sighed, amazed at the amount of energy the trumpeter had, but at the same time, she couldn't help but smile. She knew this was a rare sight. This Reina was different from the ambitious Reina who wanted to go to nationals, different from the Reina who flirted shamelessly with her at every turn. This Reina…was playful, almost child-like, another side of the trumpeter that Kumiko knew was reserved just for her.

"Yes, yes. I'm coming." Despite the tone the brunette took, she was more than eager to play into Reina's demands. After all, how could she refuse the radiant smile that graced the girl's lips. It was genuine, beautiful, and definitely contagious.

Setting her bag down, Kumiko unceremoniously took a seat on the wooden bench, keeping a fair distance between them as she did so. Almost immediately, Reina bridged the gap between them, shifting so they were touching. Kumiko could feel the warmth from the side of Reina's thighs pressed up against her.

Kumiko tensed at the contact, being hyperaware of their proximity today. She looked down at her ice cream cone, eating it in silence as she tried to reason out the sudden racing of her heart in her chest. It was an uncomfortable sort of tightening that she noticed more often nowadays.

"Kumiko, is something wrong?"

Kumiko looked over cautiously, trying to censor her thoughts as she fixed her eyes on Reina's concerned expression. The girl's brows were furrowed slightly, her eyes glistening with a darkness that Kumiko was absolutely entranced with. The euphonium player let her eyes wander, resting on Reina's slightly parted lips, perfectly pink and…simply inviting.

"U-uhm. Nothing. Nothing's wrong." Kumiko laughed sheepishly, averting her eyes again. "Reina, you sure got an interesting flavor. I wouldn't have thought to try a combination like that. Why did you decide on getting it?

"Because I like it."

It was such a straightforward answer, so typical of Reina, but Kumiko's heart tightened again. She swallowed hard, trying to contain her illogical excitement.

"Oh, you've had it before?" Kumiko recovered quickly, trying to appear normal as she carried on the conversation.

"Mhm. I've had it before. I've never really been crazy about pumpkin or chestnut, but it just seemed right for a day like today." Reina took another lick of her cone and Kumiko found her gaze being drawn to the girl again.

It was such a silly thought, but Kumiko suddenly wondered what it would be like if she were that cone right now…

"That's seems so like you, Reina. I don't think people would normally pick a flavor for that reason…" Kumiko mused aloud to herself as she whittled away at her own dessert. She was suddenly curious. "Is it good?"

"It is. It's surprisingly good." Reina looked over, her eyes flickered with something that Kumiko couldn't quite comprehend. "Do you want to try it?"

"Eh?" Kumiko jumped slightly at the question. It wasn't like they hadn't shared food before, but today, the brunette's head was in a weird state. "A-Are you sure it's okay? I mean…I don't have a spoon or anything."

"If it's Kumiko, I don't mind."

Again, Reina's straightforward answer made the brunette's heart skip a beat.

"Okay. I'll have a bite then…" Kumiko leaned over, holding her hair out of her face as she stuck out her tongue for a taste of Reina's ice cream. Reina kept the cone at a strange position, making the brunette brush up against her as she leaned in. It made Kumiko feel as if she were doing something incredibly lewd. It was unnervingly distracting, the atmosphere between them growing heavy.

Kumiko sat back up, her cheeks slightly flushed as she licked her lips. It wasn't meant to be an exaggerated motion, but Kumiko felt Reina's attention fixated on her, intensely so.

"How is it?"

Kumiko blinked, the strange tension she felt just now had suddenly dissipated. The earthy, almost savory taste of pumpkin invaded her senses. There was a subtle sweetness to it, the chestnut bringing out the depth of the combined flavors.

"Uhm. It's good. The taste is really subtle, but I really like the combination. I think it's…classy." Kumiko was probably thinking more about Reina when she blurted out the last part, but she hoped it wouldn't be misconstrued as anything strange.

"It is, isn't it? It's a really nostalgic taste that has all the flavors of autumn." Reina smiled widely, glad that Kumiko liked her tastes.

" _It's a little bit romantic."_

A silence overcame the two and Kumiko felt the tension settle in again after Reina's wistful comment. She glanced over at Reina as the girl continued eating her cone. Undoubtedly, the trumpeter was an ethereal beauty, her words and actions felt as if they were scripted for a romance novel.

Desperate to break the tension, Kumiko filled the silence with a random question, knowing that she wouldn't get the answer she wanted. "Hey, Reina…Why did you decide to drag me out to have ice cream today?"

"Because I felt like it. I just felt like having ice cream today. Is that weird?" It was an immediate answer from the trumpeter. Reina looked over, her eyes conveying her question, going along well with her childish wishes today.

"It's not weird…but I guess I didn't expect that from you." Kumiko made a face as she thought about today, how Reina been acting more…impulsive. It wasn't that Reina wasn't normally impulsive, but today was especially obvious.

"Hmm? Were you wondering if I had any ulterior motives then?" Reina's lips turned up into a smirk, her voice adapting a mischievous lilt.

"Haha…was I being that obvious?" Kumiko laughed sheepishly, feeling stupid for wanting Reina to have another reason to spend so much time with her. Honestly, she sensed that something was off, that their plans seemed to be too perfect. Kumiko knew it sounded crazy, but she felt like Reina could have planned this little outing from the start. The brunette looked down at her slowly melting cone, her appetite for sweets disrupted by the bitter taste of guilt in her mouth.

"You were obvious, but it doesn't mean you weren't right." Reina leaned over at this, her voice dropping to a whisper as she gripped Kumiko's arm with her free hand.

" _I wanted to be with you, Kumiko. I..."_

The trumpeter stopped abruptly, moving away from Kumiko, almost recoiling at the realization of what she was going to say. She resumed her actions as if the last five seconds had never happened.

"W-What were you going to say, Reina?" Kumiko's breathing was becoming more erratic now, her pulse racing uncomfortably. She wanted so desperately to know, to have Reina finish her sentence. The words hung unspoken in the air, but at this point, the both of them knew where this was headed.

There was a pause in the air as Kumiko witnessed the trumpeter struggle internally with her thoughts and emotions. It was so subtle, but she saw the changes in the girl's expression and in her eyes.

Reina faltered slightly, but the trumpeter had decidedly made up her mind. She turned to Kumiko, her eyes shining with a hard determination.

"I like you."

Kumiko's jaw dropped, her eyes widening.

"In a romantic way."

This wasn't one of their playful and verbose confessions of love. This was real, the real Kousaka Reina confessing in her charmingly straightforward manner.

Kumiko was still in shock, her eyes blinking rapidly and her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. She didn't know what to say. Rather, she didn't know if she should. Truthfully, she had a response, an almost automatic response that she was dying to say. It was one that she had used only in her dreams and in her fantasies.

"Kumiko…?" Reina's voice wavered uncharacteristically, a flash of doubt hitting her at Kumiko's silence.

Almost lurching forward, Kumiko effectively invaded Reina's personal space, the sudden movement causing her to flinch slightly.

"I-I feel the same way." Kumiko's cheeks were bright red, her mind spinning with all the things she wanted to tell Reina. "I've been in love with you…for a while now." The confession was cathartic and Kumiko felt her tension and anxiety being replaced with an indescribable elation.

Reina blinked at Kumiko's second outburst today, letting the silence settle for a few seconds before she erupted into laughter. "I-I'm really happy that you feel the same way, but K-Kumiko…your reaction is way too delayed!" Reina's laughter rang out, relief washing over her.

"W-What could I do? I never thought for a million years that Kousaka Reina would declare her love for me on a park bench over ice cream."

"Hmm? Why not? It's different isn't it?" Reina smiled from ear to ear, cocking her head slightly as she stared up at Kumiko expectantly. "You forgot the beautiful autumn foliage and the quaint little park we're in. Isn't it a bit romantic?"

"You have a strange idea of what's romantic, Reina…" Kumiko laughed weakly, wondering if she would have enjoyed it more if she hadn't been so nervous.

"How cruel! I went to such lengths just to set up this atmosphere. Don't you think I did a good job?" Reina pouted as she pushed the euphonium player playfully.

"Ugh…you did a great job. I was so nervous that- Ah!" Kumiko let out an exclamation as a drop of something cold suddenly hit her thigh. She looked down to see a spot of white-pink ice cream pooling onto her skin. Her cone had been neglected for too long and now it was quickly becoming quite the mess…

"Oh! 3 second rule!" Reina jumped up in excitement, using the phrase she had learned over the summer. She hadn't had a chance to use it recently.

"Reina…I'm not going to eat that." Kumiko scoffed as she concentrated on the quickly melting ice cream in her hand. She took a huge bite, mitigating the damage for now.

"Well, if you're not going to have it, I'll gladly help you clean it up."

"Eh?" Kumiko wondered what Reina meant by this, watching as the trumpeter reached down towards her lap.

Reina gently ran her finger along the expanse of Kumiko's exposed thigh. She started from the knee and inched up towards the hem of her skirt, mopping up the small spill. In a deliberately slow fashion, Reina brought her finger to her lips, licking off the ice cream.

Kumiko watched, clenching her jaw as her emotions ran wild with Reina's successful attempt at being a terrible tease. Swallowing hard, the brunette stared incredulously. "Y-You're definitely the one with a bad personality, Kousaka-san…."

Ignoring Kumiko's comment, Reina licked her lips. "Mmm. It's sweet. It's definitely a flavor you would get, Kumiko. It definitely suits you."

"Well, thanks for the reassurance…" Sulking, Kumiko masked her embarrassment as she feigned indignation. She turned her attention back to her ice cream cone as she tried to forget the feeling of Reina's hand against her bare thighs. It was a sinfully pleasurable sensation that burned in her mind and Kumiko was afraid she would just crave it even more. She knew that Reina wasn't playing fair, but then again…was it really all that bad?

"Only for you, Kumiko." Reina beamed as she leaned against the brunette, eyeing the strawberry flavored ice cream. Her own was nearly finished and she was feeling a bit gluttonous at the moment.

"I think I want a bit more of yours. Is that okay?"

It seemed like such an innocent question.

"Sure, you can have the rest."

Kumiko turned, holding up the cone.

 _"Great. Then I'll help myself."_

The sudden change in Reina's tone caught Kumiko off guard, but it was too late. Reina's sultry voice brushed past the nape of her neck as she leaned in.

Supple lips suddenly pressed against Kumiko's and the brunette let out a muffled yelp as Reina kissed her. Reina hungrily delved into Kumiko's mouth, her hands clutching the girl's uniform as she held her closely.

A splatter sounded as both girls dropped their ice cream cones. The desserts toppled to the ground, forgotten as Reina and Kumiko put their hands to better use.

Kumiko reciprocated with equal fervor, her appetite whetted from the taste of Reina, from the scent of Reina swimming in her head. She let her inhibitions melt away, crushing her lips against Reina's as they struggled to attain a closeness they wanted so desperately. For many self-indulgent minutes, they stay entangled in each other's arms, overcome with an uncontrollable desire as they kissed on the park bench. They parted after, panting and trying to catch their breath.

Looking up, Kumiko swallowed, her head still spinning. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Kousaka san…"

"Yes, _Kumiko_?" It was the innocent looking Reina who replied, her smile seemingly unassuming, but her purple orbs were still dark with desire.

Kumiko let her eyes betray her as her gaze wandered to Reina's slightly swollen lips. Subconsciously, she licked her own lips.

She could see Reina grin at her transparent feelings.

"Y-You definitely owe me another ice cream cone, you know…?" Kumiko stuttered as she averted Reina's piercing gaze.

"Oh, I definitely do." Reina smirked, lacing her words with an innuendo that made Kumiko feel rather hot under the collar. "Why don't you come over? I'm sure I'll have something you'll like."

Swallowing her cowardice, Kumiko locked eyes with Reina. "I'll…take you up on that offer."

Kumiko was craving something sweet now. After having a taste of Reina's lips, she wanted more, wondering if something even more decadent would be on the menu.


End file.
